A FAMILY doctor who forged patient's prescriptions to satisfy his addiction to painkillers is due to appear before the General Medical Council (GMC) next week.

In June, Dr Robin Wade was fined by a judge at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of obtaining property by deception and asking for 18 similar offences to be taken into account.

The GMC has placed a number of restrictions on his medical practice.

Dr Wade is confined to working within the NHS and only if supervised by a named, registered medical practitioner.

He is also barred from working as a locum doctor or as a deputising doctor.

Dr Wade, 53, a former GP at the Moorlands Surgery, Willow Road, Darlington, is due to appear before the fitness-to-practise panel in London on Tuesday following his conviction.

While the panel has the power to strike him off the medical register, it is understood that it is expected to examine, in private, issues concerning the GP's health that affected his practice.

Dr Wade, who is said to have overcome his addiction, received a number of pledges of support from former patients and colleagues after the court case.